Data on 2341 grass fields from 100 mountain-area dairy farms in France: Agricultural uses and geographical characteristics

This article reports data collected by survey from 100 dairy farmers located in a mountainous area (France), including 72 farmers engaged in the traditional Salers system and 28 farmers engaged in a specialised dairy system. The questionnaire covered all uses of all grass fields during the entire outdoor period, considering ‘field’ as an area that was used in the same way throughout the entire period. Cutting dates, grazing dates, animal categories and numbers were recorded using a grazing and harvesting schedule. We also recorded key geographical and physical characteristics of each field, i.e. main slope, altitude, area, and distance from the farmstead. Each field in the presented database is thus described by 47 quantitative and qualitative variables

Rearing practices in each life period of beef heifers can be used to influence the carcass characteristics

To improve their income, European cattle breeders have to produce cattle carcasses with the best score on the EUROP system. The objectives of this study were to identify the rearing practices applied on farms at each period of a heifer’s life and to study the relationship between these practices and the carcass characteristics. Farm surveys (n = 45) were performed to assess the rearing practices. A factorial analysis of mixed data followed by a hierarchical clustering on principal components was performed for each life period. The clusters resulting from these typologies were related to the carcass characteristics (weight, conformation and fat scores). For the suckling period, the cluster characterised by a calving season in autumn, a short pasture period and systematic supplies of stored grass and concentrate in stall gave heavy carcasses with the highest conformation scores. For the growth period, the best cluster for producing favourable carcass characteristics was characterised by the longest pasture period, feeding the most stored grass and feeding a regular concentrate supply throughout the year. For the fattening period, the cluster characterised by the oldest age at the beginning of the period and at slaughter, slaughter in winter and autumn, a long pasture period and regular concentrate supply gave the heaviest carcasses with the highest conformation scores. This study highlights several rearing practices that could be used as a means to influence the carcass characteristics, and also the life periods at which animals are sensitive to changes in management practices to improve weight and conformation scores.Highlights Carcass characteristics are related to rearing practices applied at each life period of heifers. Rearing practices can be used as a means to influence carcass characteristics

Identification of combinations of influential rearing practices applied during the heifers’ whole life on the carcass quality by the decision tree method

The European beef farmers' income is directly related to the carcass properties according to the EUROP classification system. Several rearing practices were highlighted to influence the beef carcass properties, but most of studies was limited to one or two studied factors or to the finishing period. The aim of this study was to identify among rearing practices applied during the whole life of heifers, the combinations of practices which allowed to reach higher quality carcass properties.A classification of 636 heifers' carcasses according to their quality (carcass weight and conformation score) was performed by PCA followed by both classification methods (hierarchical cluster analysis and k-means) to select the most performant. Several methods (chi-square automatic interaction Detector, classification and regression tree and Quest) were also compared for the decision tree build. The rearing practices were collected by surveys which concerned 40 quantitative and 22 qualitative variables applied through the suckling, growth or finishing periods. The study framework included the birth season that was associated with the suckling period.The classification of the carcasses according to their quality properties identified 3 classes (Q +, Q = and Q -, n = 206, 272, 158 carcasses respectively) with a gradient of properties. The decision tree allowed the correct classification of 61.6% of carcasses of the Q + class. Among the 10 different splitters selected in the tree, the 3 life periods of the heifers were represented. Seven paths allowed to reach leaves mainly composed of carcasses of Q + class (> 50%), i.e. the class with the higher economic value, and 6 paths allowed to reach leaves mainly composed of carcasses of Q - class, i.e. the class to avoid. Two paths led to groups with 100% of carcasses of Q + class: (i) a slaughter age superior to 35.3 mo AND a pasture duration during the growth between 213 and 283 d AND a rationed distribution of grass silage in stall during the growth and (ii) a slaughter age superior to 32.1 mo AND a pasture duration during the growth between 213 and 283 d AND a lack of grass silage in stall during the growth. The rearing practices identified in the decision tree were related to the whole life of the heifers including the suckling period. These rearing practices and the associated thresholds could allow to provide advices for the production management of heifers to farmers

Generic Relationships between Field Uses and Their Geographical Characteristics in Mountain-Area Dairy Cattle Farms

In mountain farms, challenges posed by the degree of land slope, altitude and harsh climate further compound multiple other possible constraints, particularly in relation to the distance of the farm from the farmstead. This study focused on how mountain-area dairy farmers factor the geographical characteristics of their fields into their field-use decisions. To that end, we surveyed 72 farmers who farm the traditional Salers breed of cattle and 28 specialised dairy system farmers in the central Massif region, France. Information was collected on the uses and geographical characteristics of all grassland fields (n = 2341) throughout the entire outdoor grazing season, without identifying farmers’ rationales for their field-use decisions. Field-use classes were constructed for the traditional Salers system per group of fields (grazed-only, cut-only, grazed-and-cut) and then used to classify fields in the specialized dairy system. The geographical characteristics, which were associated afterwards, were significantly different between the field groups and between field-use classes. Grazed-only fields were found to be more sloping and cut-only fields were smaller and further from the farmstead. Distance/area combinations were different according to field use (animal category, earliness of first cut, grazing and cutting sequence) and were decisive for all field-use classes. This study allowed the identification of generic relationships between field uses and their geographical characteristics in mountain-area dairy cattle farms

Determination of rearing practices combinations increasing the carcase weight according to the heifers slaughter age by the decision tree method

International audienceThis work aims to identify the rearing practices which increase the carcase weight according to slaughter age. For this purpose, an innovative statistical method, the decision tree method, was used to identify the most influential action levers on the carcase weight, with associated thresholds values and modalities, among the rearing practices applied throughout the animals' life. The data of 636 heifers carcases were collected from the slaughterhouse and the rearing practices from 45 farms by survey. Firstly, classifications were done to define slaughter-age classes and carcase-weight classes. Three slaughter-age classes (younger, mid-age, older) and 3 carcase-weight classes (lighter, intermediate, heavier) were defined, then these two classifications were crossed. The decision tree method highlighted that the influence on carcase weight of the life periods of the animals (i.e. suckling, growth, and finishing periods) and the related rearing practices were different according to the slaughter age of the heifers. For the younger-slaughtered animals, the most influential rearing practices on the carcase weight were the suckling duration, the concentrate supply during growing, the distributions of compound feed and grass silage in-stall during growing. For the mid-age slaughtered animals, the rearing practices identified as the most influential were the concentrate amount distributed in-stall during finishing, the meal supply in-stall during finishing and the cereals supply at pasture during growing. For the older-slaughtered animals, the compound feed supply at pasture during finishing and the concentrate amount distributed in-stall during growing were the most influential on the carcase weight

Représentation cartographique d'activités d'élevage: exemple de l'élevage bovin laitier pour la production de fromages d'AOC dans le massif central

National audienceCartography is generally little used in the field of breeding activity, though it is interesting for visualising spatialisation of this kind of activity which is linked to space (grazing, forage harvest...). We chose to use cartographic methods in research on cattle breeding systems where milk is used in cheese P.D.O. production, in the Massif Central (France). The data collected come from interviews of experts, geographical data and administrative files; they were treated with a Geographical Information System (G.I.S.) and statistical analysis. This scientific approach enabled us to get different kinds of maps: overall maps (milk breeding zone typology), thematic maps spatialising qualitative variables (winter diet) or quantitative variables, in relative value (permanent grass percentage) or absolute value (milk quotas). Specific maps of each cheese P.D.O. enabled us to approach its coherence. The cartographic tool appears well adapted to the study of breeding activity in a P.D.O. context, because production is linked to an area and its coherence comes from several factors. This tool also enables to quickly get a global view and to carry out spatial analysis of several themes. Moreover, the rise of cartography that we present in this paper could be considered as an interesting methodological proposition for the study of some breeding activities.La cartographie est en général peu utilisée dans le domaine de l’élevage, bien qu’elle présente l’intérêt de visualiser la spatialisation de ce type d’activité nécessairement relié à l’espace (pâturage, récolte de fourrages…). Nous avons choisi d’utiliser des méthodes cartographiques pour conduire une recherche sur les systèmes d’élevage bovin dont le lait est destiné à la production des fromages d’AOC du Massif central. Les informations collectées sont issues d’enquêtes à dires d’experts, de données géographiques et de fichiers administratifs ; elles ont été traitées à l’aide d’un Système d’Information Géographique (SIG) et d’analyses statistiques. Cette démarche a permis d’obtenir différents types de cartes : des cartes synthétiques (typologie de zones d’élevage laitier), des cartes thématiques spatialisant des variables qualitatives (ration hivernale) ou quantitative, en valeur relative (proportion de prairies permanentes dans la SAU) ou absolue (quotas laitiers communaux). Pour chacune des huit AOC fromagères concernées, des cartes spécifiques, obtenues par extraction, ont ensuite permis d’appréhender leur cohérence. L’outil cartographique s’est avéré bien adapté à l’étude d’activités d’élevage associées à une appellation, dans la mesure où, d’une part, le fondement d’une AOC est nécessairement relié à sa zone de production et où, d’autre part, sa cohérence, notion par nature complexe, découle de plusieurs facteurs. Cet outil permet de plus d’accéder rapidement à une vision d’ensemble et de réaliser des analyses spatiales de différents thèmes, seuls ou combinés entre eux. Plus généralement, l’usage de la cartographie que nous présentons ici peut être considéré comme une proposition méthodologique intéressante pour l’étude de certaines activités d’élevage

Quelles pratiques d’élevage pour piloter la qualité des carcasses et de la viande au cours de la vie des génisses ?

International audienceMost of the published studies are generally focused on the individual effects of fattening factors on carcass or beef qualities. Few experiments have studied the effects of rearing practices (combinations of several rearing factors) applied throughout the heifer’s life on the quality of carcass and meat. This review is aimed at the following: i) highlighting the rearing practice effects on the quality of carcass and meat and ii) identifying rearing factors on which to act to improve carcass and meat qualities. Overall, rearing practices implemented at different life periods (suckling, growing or finishing) had effects on carcass and meat traits. Carcass traits seemed to be more sensitive to changes in rearing practices than those of beef. At different periods of the heifer’s life, different rearing factors can be used to improve the quality of carcasses (n = 9) and/or meat (n = 3). Action levers were specific to the quality management of carcass or meat, except the slaughter age which was common to both. Identified action levers did not have antagonistic effects on the quality of both of these products. These results show that joint quality management of carcass and meat from rearing practices is possible.Les travaux étudiant la relation entre l’élevage des bovins et la qualité des carcasses ou de la viande portent généralement sur l’effet de facteurs d’élevage (de la période de finition) pris individuellement. Peu de recherches traitent de l’effet des pratiques d’élevage (combinaisons de plusieurs facteurs d’élevage) appliquées tout au long de la vie de l’animal sur la qualité de ces deux produits. Les objectifs de cette synthèse sont i) de mettre en évidence l’impact des pratiques d’élevage sur la qualité des carcasses et de la viande et ii) d’identifier des leviers d’action mobilisables au cours de la vie des génisses pour améliorer ces qualités. Les résultats montrent que les pratiques d’élevage mises en œuvre lors des différentes phases de vie des génisses (allaitement, croissance, finition) peuvent avoir des effets sur la qualité des carcasses et de la viande. Les propriétés des carcasses apparaissent plus sensibles aux changements de pratiques d’élevage que celles de la viande. À chaque période de vie, un ou plusieurs facteurs d’élevage permettent d’améliorer la qualité des carcasses (n = 9) et/ou de la viande (n = 3). Seul l’âge à l’abattage est commun au pilotage de la qualité des carcasses et de la viande, tous les autres sont spécifiques. Les leviers identifiés n’ont pas d’effets antagonistes sur la qualité de ces deux produits. Ainsi en élevage, grâce à des pratiques adaptées tout au long de la vie des génisses, un pilotage conjoint de la qualité des carcasses et de la viande est possible

Relations entre la qualité du lait livré à la ferme et les caractéristiques des exploitations

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Facteurs de variation de la numération cellulaire du lait en exploitation

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Tanker milk variability according to farm feeding practices: vitamins A and E, carotenoids, color, and terpenoids

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